Tufting machine



March 29, 1938. R, H, w DHA'M ET AL 2,112,512

TUFTING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. H. WINDHAM ET AL 2,112,512

TUFTING MACHINE .March 29 1938.

4 shet 2 Filed June 5, 1937 March 29, 1938. R. H. WINDHAM ET AL 2 2,112,512

TUFTING MACH INE Filed June 5, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 29, 1938. R. H. WINDHAM ET AL TUFTING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A a QNNQRR Nu Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES TUFTING MACHINE Roy H. Windham and Murl A. White, Sumter, S. 0., assignors to Polly Prentiss, Inc., Sumter, S. 0., a corporation of South Carolina Application June 5, 1937, Serial No. 146,685

27 Claims.

Our invention relates to tufting machines. An important object of the invention is to provide means for eliminating the accumulation of uncut loop or loops upon the looper, yet permit- 5 ting of the upward movement of the needle without pulling the yarn from the fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above mentioned character,

wherein the cutting movement or stroke of the cutting element or blade need not be accurately limited.

A further object of the invention is to provide continuously moving means to actuate'a cutter or blade mounted upon the looper.

A further object of the invention is to provide a looper having a movable blade or cutter mounted thereon, with a gripper for coaction with the looper.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to move the loop or loops further upon the looper, as the looper has previously moved past the needle and entered the loop.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to cause the, needle to. idle, during the feeding movement of the work feed means to feed the fabric, for producing spaced tufts or spaced groups of tufts.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to cause the needle to idle, which means is of simplified construction, and is reliable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for exerting a pull upon the yarn while the needle is idling, to remove the yarn carried by the needle from the fabric:

A further object of the invention is to provide a yarn jerker operating between the tension device and the needle, to pull the yarn through the tension device upon the upstroke of the needle, so that a suitable slack is provided upon the downstroke of the needle to produce the loop.

A further object of the invention is to provide a yarn jerker or puller arranged between the tension device and the yarn spool, to provide a constant slack in the yarn from the spool, whereby the operation of the tension device is not varied by any resistance which might otherwise be offered by the yarn spool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

The present application is a continuation in part of our earlier application for Tufting machines, filed February 10, 1937, Serial No. 125,147.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure'l is a side elevation of a tufting machine embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, the head plate being removed,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the looper, and associated elements, with the needle raised,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the tuft forming means, needle operating means and associated elements,

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the looper, gripper and cutter and associated elements, constituting a removable unit,

Figure 6a is a section taken on 6a6a of Figure 1,

Figure '7 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of the yarn pulling means and associated elements,

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the downward strokeof the needle during the first cycle of operation,

Figure 8a is a similar view showing the upstroke of the needle during the first cycle,

Figure 9 is a similar view showing the downstroke of the needle during the second cycle,

Figure 9a is a similar view showing the upstroke of the needle during the second cycle,

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the downstroke of the needle during the third cycle,

Figure 10a is a similar view showing the upstroke of the needle during the third cycle,

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the needle,

held elevated, during the pulling action of the pulling element and before the fabric is fed for the next step in the 4th cycle,

Figure 11a is a similar view with the needle held elevated and the pulling element pulling the yarn and the fabric fed the next step during the fourth cycle, V

Figure 12 is a similar view showing the needle held elevated and the pulling element further pulling the yarn, during the fifth cycle,

Figure 12a. is a similar view showing the needle held elevated, the fabric fed the next step and the pulling element further pulling upon the yarn which is separated from the fabric,

Figure 13 is a.similar view showing the needle held elevated in the sixth cycle, before the work is fed the next step, and the pulling element moving in an opposite direction to produce a slack in the yarn,

Figure 13a is a similar view showing the needle held elevated in the sixth cycle, the work fed another step and the pulling element producing a further slack in the yarn,

Figure 14 is a similar view, showing the needle held elevated during the seventh cycle, before the work is fed for the next step, and the pulling element moving to produce a further slack in the yarn, and,

Figure 14a is a similar view showing the needle ciprocatory needle bar ll having a needle l3,

clamped therein, to move therewith, at all times, during the sewing operation of the machine. This needle has the usual eye at its'lower pointed end for receiving the tufting yarn or thread i1, passed through a guide l3, through a tension device 'i 3, over stationary guide pins 23 and 2|. through the eye 22 of a slack producing ierker, the eye 23 of a yarn pulling device, and through the eye of the needle. Attention is called to the fact that the eye 22 is arranged between the tension device l3 and the needle. The yarn also passes through a slack producing device or Jerker, including an inverted U-shaped bracket 24, rigidly secured to the arm l2, and having apertures 23 through which the yarn slidably passes. The yarn is fed from the usual cone spool (not shown) and which is ordinarily not supported upon the head. Engaging beneath the yarn within the bracket 24 is a horizontal head 23, carried by a reciprocatory rod 21 guided in an aperture formed in the top of the arm i2, and operated by means to be described. When the head 23 rises, it travels above the apertures 23, and thereby pulls the yarn from the spool, and provides a slack when the rod 21 descends. The purpose of the head 26 and associated elements is to maintain a constant slack in the yarn fed from the spool, so that the tension of the tension device I3 is not varied by any resistance that the spool might offer. The needle bar also carries an eye 23 at its lower end. The eye 23 is at substantially the same elevation as the eye 23,when the needlebaris raised. 7

The machine embodies the usual drive shaft 23, suitably Journaled in the arm l2, and horizontally arranged, ,as shown. and driven by a grooved pulley 33, which may be manually or power driven.

At its forward end the drive shaft 23 is provided with a crank disc 3i rigidly secured thereto, and having pivotalconnection with a link 32. This link is pivotally connected with a sleeve 33. The sleeve 33 is a part of the original sewing machine. This sleeve is ordinarily clamped to the needle bar, to reciprocate therewith, by means of a set screw. In accordance with the present invention, this set screw is removed and the sleeve 33 is therefore slidably mounted upon the needle bar II. The sleeve is capable of raising the needle bar, but the needle bar may beheld in the raised position when the sleeve 33 is lowered, as will be explained. Arranged above the sleeve 33 is a block 7 34, rigidly clamped to the needle bar by a set screw 33. Rigidly' secured to the block 34 and preferably formed integral therewith is a horizontal arm 33, included in the yarn jerking device and carrying .the aperture 22. The block 34 is engaged by a compressible coil spring 31, surrounding the needle bar i3, and also engaging the end wall 33 of the head II, as shown. The spring 31 serves to move the needle bar downwardly while the sleeve 1 33 serves to raise the needle bar, but the, needle bar is permanently slidable within the sleeve 33.

The machine further comprises a presser foot 33, of the usual construction, clamped to a reoperator, including work feed dogs 43, operating 1 through a suitable opening in the base or through the throat plate, as is well known. These feed dogs are rigidly mounted upon a rigid dog supporting bar or link 43. At one end, this bar or link is rigidly connected with a transverse head 41, pivoted at 43, with cranks 43, in turn rigidly mounted upon the rock shaft 43. At its opposite end, the rigid bar or link 43 is provided with a fork 33, receiving a roller 5|, pivotally mounted upon a crank 52, in turn rigidly mounted upon the rock shaft 44. The rock shafts therefore constitute the operating means for the work feed mechanism. These rock shafts extend longitudinally of the driveshaft 23 and are parallel therewith. The rock shafts 43 and 44 are provided ad- :Iacent to the stock Ii with cranks 33 and 34 respectively. The cranks 33 and 54 are pivotally connected with connecting rods 55 and 33 respectively, which are actuated by cams 31 and 33 respectively, in turn carried and driven by the drive shaft 23. It might be stated at this point that the rock shaft 43 serves to move the dog carrying bar or link 46 longitudinally, while the rock shaft 44 serves to raise and lower the same. The drive shaft 23 is also provided with a crank 33, in-,

' eluding a crank pin 33. The foregoing description is that of the ordinary Singer sewing machine, with the exception that the needle bar is I reciprocated in a different manner, as explained.

Rigidly attached to the base l4 adjacent to one longitudinal edge thereof and depending from said such base are brackets 3i, having bearings for holding an auxiliary rockshaft 32, arranged near and parallel with the rock shaft 43. vThis auxiliary rock shaft carries a long crank arm 33, equipped with a collar 34, adapted to be clamped to the rock shaft 32 by a set screw 63 or the like. Pivotally connected with the crank arm 33, at 34, is a connecting rod or link 61, the upper end of which is pivotally connected with the crank pin 33, as shown. The reciprocatory rod 21 is pivotally connected with the crank arm 63 at 33.

We provide a looper, gripper, cutter and loop shifting arm which are removable as a unit. This unit comprises a block 33, adjustably mounted in a groove 13, formed in a stationary lug 1i, arranged beneath the bed l4. This lug is provided with a depending screw threaded stud 12, rigidly secured thereto. This stud passes through an elongated opening I3, formed in the block 83, and is engaged by a removable nut 14, equipped with a handle 15 for convenient turning. when the proper position of the block 63 is found, an justing bolt 13 is screwed up until it lightly contacts with the stud l2 and the bolt 13 may then be locked in place by the lock nut TI. The bolt It does not interfere with the removal of the block 33 from the stud l2. RigidLv attached to one end of the block 33 is a horizontal shaft 13, having a reduced screw threaded end 13. Pivotally mounted on this shaft is a sleeve 33, engaging between shoulder 3| and washer 32, held in place by nuts 33, having screw threaded engage- This arm has an opening 86 to receive a bolt 81 passing through an opening 08 in a second arm 89, and carrying a nut 90. The arm 89 may be angularly adjusted with respect to the arm 04 and locked thereto in the selected adjusted position. The arm .94 carries a shaft 9|, rigidly secured thereto, and this shaft has a slot 92 to receive the end of a coil 92 formed upon a resilient gripper element 94. The arm 84 of the gripper is provided with a depending crank 95, carrying a stud 90, which is readily removable from within the aperture 91 formed in a link 99, which is pivotaliy connected with a depending crank 99,rigid1y mounted upon the auxiliary rock shaft 92. Arranged upon and near one side of the gripper, is a looper member including an arm I00, having an opening IN to receive the sleeve 80. The arm III has the looper element I02 rigidly attached to its upper end, by means of screws I09 and a plate I94, and the looper element is preferably detachable from the arm I00. The resilient gripper element 94 is arranged upon the same side of the looper element I02 with the needle. A washer I is arranged between the arms 94 and I00, and a nut I09 has screw threaded engagement with the sleeve 90, and serves to clamp the arm I00 and the arm 04 together. The arm I00 may be angularly adjusted with respect to the arm 94, and when the nut I94 clamps the arm I00 to the arm 94, the gripper and looper swing as a unit. Since the gripper is swung by the link 98 and associated elements It will be seen that the looper is swung by the gripper, and the gripper and looper swung in unison, but this swinging movement does not cause the resilient gripping element 94 to be shifted into engagement with the looper element I02. The numeral I09 designates a blade or cutter, having an inclined cutting edge I04, to coact with the looper element I02, and sever all loop or loops thereon, and for this reason the looper element I02 need not have a down turned or hooked end. The blade or cutter I03 is pivoted upon the looper element I02 by means of a bolt I05 engaging within an opening I09 and this bolt also passes through a bowed leaf spring I01, which serves to retain the blade or cutter I03 in firm engagement with the ad- Jacent face of the looper element. The blade or cutter has a depending crank Ill carrying a stud I09, which is readily removable from within an aperture IIO,-formed in a link III, pivoted at II2, with 9. depending crank III, rigidly secured to the rock shaft 43. The pin or pivot H2 is continuously moving or rocking during the operation of the machine, and causes the cutter or blade I03 to turn upon its pivot and have a shearing action with the looper element I02 to shear all loops upon the looper element. Rigidly attached to one side of the. block 69 is a small block I", having a horizontal opening I I5, to receive a rock shaft IIB, having a crank II'I rigidly secured to one end thereof. This crank has an aperture I I9 to readily removably receive the transverse end of a link II9, pivotally connected with a .crank I20, mounted upon the auxiliary rock shaft 62. The opposite end of the rock shaft H8 is provided with a head I2I rigidly secured thereto and having an opening I22, receiving the end I23 of a loop shifting finger I24. The end I2! is clamped within the opening I22 by a set screw I25. Thearm I24 is generally U-shaped, and extends below and about the gripper and looper and has its upper end bent laterally toward the looper element I02 to provide a portion I29, which travels near and above the looper element and projects over the same, to engage that side of the loop next to the cutter. It might be stated that the loop shifting arm or element is not employed to transfer loops from the needle to the looper, and this finger is not thrown into action until after the looper element has moved toward the needle and entered the loop and has started upon its movement from the needle. 7 The function of the loop shifting arm I24 is to shift that side of the loop next to the cutter further rearwardly upon the looper element, upon the starting of a new group of loops and when that side of the loop next to the cutter has been pulled from the fabric. Ordinarily this leaves that side of the loop next to the cutter in the form of a short portion, which should be severed, and this short portion sometimes moves from between the looper element and cutter or blade, but the loop shifting finger I24 feeds this short portion rearwardly, preventing the improper displacement of the short portion, before it is cut oil. The finger I24 will also act upon all loops as they are held by the looper element, but this serves no useful purpose.

The resilient gripper 94 is tensioned to automatically move laterally from the looper element I02, to provide a suitable space for the descendin needle, and means are provided to shift the resilient gripper element toward the looper element, to clamp the loops thereon, during the swinging movement of the looper element. This means comprises a presser head I21, arranged to engage that side of the resilient gripper element 94 remote from the needle. This head is rigidly secured to a reciprocatory rod I20, slidably mounted in an opening I29, formed in the lug II, and the rod I28 is pivotallyconnected at I30 with one arm I3I of a horizontally swinging bell crank lever, pivoted upon a vertical pin I32. The

other arm I33 of this bell crank lever is pivotally' connected with a link I34, in turn pivotally connected with a crank I25, mounted upon the rock shaft 44.

The coaction of the looper, gripper, cutter and loop shifting arm or element is as follows:

As the needle I6 descends, the looper member swings toward the needle, and when the needle reaches or approaches its lowermost position, the looper element I92 has entered the loop. As the needle starts to rise and about the time that it has passed slightly above the looper element, the

presser head I2'I has moved toward the resilient gripper 94 sufllciently to cause this resilient gripper to grip the loop against the side of the looper element I42, as the looper element is traveling towards its rear position from the needle. The gripper element therefore grips the loop to the looper element as the needle rises and this prevents the yarn from being pulled out of the fabric. When the looper element reaches its rearmost position from the needle the resilient gripper 94 begins to open, as the presser head I21 is now traveling from the looper element and by the time the looper element has again moved forwardly to extend across the path of travel ofthe needle, the gripper element 94 will be completely opened, so that it will not contact with the needle when it descends. .When the looper element I02 is moving rearwardly from the needle, as explained, the movement of the pivot H2 and link III causesthe blade or cutter I03 to turn upon its pivot I05 and the loop upon the looper is severed when the looper element reaches or approaches its rearmost position. The loop shifting finger or element I24 swings simultaneously. counter-clock-wise with the looper mem-' her and simultaneously clock-wise with the looper member but the arm I travels for about twice the distance of the looper member. This positions the free end of the arm I24 well in advance 'ofthelooperelementlilwhentheneedlehas deacended.' It is thus seen that when the looper element has entered the loop produced by the needle in the lowermost position, the free end ofthearm lllis'wellinadvanceofthelooper element and loop. The looper element has thus already entered into the loopand received the loop before the arm I has started its rearward movement from the needle. Further, the looper elementhssmovedrearwardlyasubstantial dis tancebefore the arm I has moved rearwardly sufilciently to eng e the loop thereon and shift the same rearwardly. It is' thus apparent that thearm illdoesnotservetopasstheloopupon the free end of the looper. as the loop is already thereon, but simply to work the loop further back upon the looper'element.

Means are provided to cause the needle to idle at intervals for producing spaced tufts or'spaced during four cycles of operation,

groups of tufts. This means comprises areciprocatory bolt I, sliding in, an opening ill, formed in the head ll. At its forward end this bolt is provided with an upturned head III, to.

engage beneath the arm 80,, when the bolt I" -is'prolected forwardly into the path of travel of this am. This bolt is longitudinally adjustably connected with a coupling I, the upper end of which is rigidly connected with a rod I. 'lhe rod I is pivotally connected with a pin or pivot element Ill, eccentrically carried by a rotary element or wheel I42. This rotary element is rigidly mounted upon a'shaft I, journaled in bearings formed in a housing I. The shaft I carries a worm wheel I, rigidly secured thereto and this worm wheel engages a worm wheel I, rigidly secured to the drive shaft 20. The worm wheel I makes seven rotations to one rotation of the worm wheel I. It is thus seen that the movement.of the pin ill eccentric with the rotating wheel I42 will effect a longitudinal movement of the bar or rod ill, which will in turn move the bolt I into and out of the path.

oftheboltwithrespecttotheannllmaybe regulated by longitudinallyadjusting the bolt with respect in the coupling in.

A yarn. pulling device is provided, to pull the yarn carried by the needle from the fabric, when the needle is i ling, comprising a. lever I41, pivotally mounted between its ends upon a fixed bar or rod m. rigid y attached to the head It. The lever I" is pivotally connected at its upper end with a link I which is adjustably clamped to the coupling I, the link. being resilient to compensate for any slight arcllate movement of the upper end of the lever ill. The lever I" is provided near its lower end with a transverse opening III to receive the end of an arm Ill, clamped therein by aset screw ill. The arm Ill carries the eye It.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

In; the present embodiment of our invention, and for the purpose of illustration only. the drive shaft II has a gear ratio with the rotatable element or wheel Mr so that the element I42 makes one complete revolution when the drive shaft makes seven complete revolutions. The needle makes three cycles of operation during the sewing period and is. held elevated or idle ,the work being grips the opposite side of the loop fed one step during each cycle of operation, when the needle is elevated.

The cycles of operation orthe needle during the sewing period isillustrated in Figures 8, 8a. 9, 9a, 10, and 10. Figures 8 and 80 show the first cycle of operation. The needle moves downwardly on the first stroke. Figure ,8, and forms the loop upon the lower side of the. fabric, and about the'time that the needle starts upon its up stroke the looper-enters the loop but the gripper does not as yet grip the loop. Upon the beginning of the upstroke of the needle the loop slides about the looper and that side of the loop next to the cutter is pulleddown ut of the fabric, and by thotime the needle moves upwardly above the l oper and grime h pper to thejooper, Figure 8d. The looper is now moving from the needle and the cutter severs the yarn 'at 2| cutting oil a short tail Ila. The needle now reaches the uppermost position, Figure 8a. and the first cycle is completed, and the work is fed one step. On the second cycle, the needle descends. Figure 9, to form the loop. and the loop is gripped and severed, in the same manner and when the needle reaches the uppermost position the second cycle is completed and the work fed another step. During the third cycle, the needle descends, Figure 10, forming and severing another loop and again rises to the uppermost position to complete the third cycle, and the work is fed another step, F'igure 10a. The idling'period starts after the completion of the third cycle and continues throughout the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th cycles. Figure 11 shows the needle held in the elevated position against the down stroke while the eye II is starting to move downwardly and from the eye 28 which is now held at substantially the same elevation with the eye 23. This movement of the yarn pulling eye has caused the trailing side of the trailing loop to be partly pulled from the fabric, and when the work is fed in the next step, Figure lla, the feeding movement of the fabric and the continued pulling. actionv of the eye 23 further pulls the yarn extending from the needle from the fabric. During the fifth cycle of operation the continued pulling movement of the eye 23 further pulls the yarn extending from the needle from the fabric and Figure 12a shows the completion of the fifth cycle and the feeding of the work for another step, and this feeding of the work combined with the continued pulling action of the eye completely removes the yarn from the fabric. This leaves a portion of the yarn carried by the needle and extending beyond the same of sufllcient length to prevent the yarn from pulling out of the needle and to properly form the first loop, when the first cycle of operation is reached.- During the sixth cycle the work is fed another step, but the eye 23 is now traveling in a reverse direction, Figures 13 and 13a, and the same operation occurs during the seventh cycle, with the result that a slack is accumulated in the yarn between the eyes 23 and 20. After the completion of the seventh cycle, the needle is in the uppermost position and is then released to descend upon the down stroke, Figure 8, to repeat the first cycle.

As clearly shown in Figure 8, both sides of the loop are in the fabric. As the needle ascends, Figure 8a, the side of the loop next to the cutter is pulled out of the fabric and-slips around the lower edge of the looper, this slipping action stopping when the needle rises sufhciently so that the gripper grips the side of the, loop next to the gripper against the looper. The short side of the loop next to the cutter or blade should be cut by the cutter, as the looper approaches its rearmost position, but it sometimes happens that this short side will work or bend toward the free end of the looper to such an extent that the cutter may not engage the same and fail to sever the short side at the point 25'. To prevent this from occurring, the arm I24 moves from the needle and simultaneously counter-clock-wise with the looper but faster than the looper and engages this short side of the loop next to the cutter,

shifting it rearwardly and upwardly so that itwill be positioned to be cut by the cutter. The arm I24 will thus push the short side of the loop well up into the space between the then opened cutter or blade and the looper, whereby this short side is cut by the blade.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric, a movable looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, gripping means arranged with respect to the looper to provide a space for a part of the loop and to press such part against the looper to hold the part thereon, means mounted on the looper to sever the loop and work feed mechanism for coaction with the needle.

2. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric, a movable looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, gripping means acting against the looper to hold the yarn thereon, a cutter pivoted upon the looper to sever the loop and work feed mechanism for coaction with the needle.

3. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric, work feed mechanism, a reciprocatory looper to move in the direction of the line of work and to enter the loop produced by the needle, a gripper arranged upon one side of the looper to grip the yarn against the looper and reciprocating with the looper, a cutter arranged upon the opposite side of the looper and pivotally mounted thereon, means to operate the gripper, and means to effect a relative movement between the looper and pivoted cutter during a reciprocation of the looper.

4. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle and to cause the same to idle, work feed mechanism, a movable looper to coact with the needle, means to sever the loop upon the looper, and automatic means other than the eye of the needle to exert a pulling action upon the yarn carried by the needle to aid inremoving the same from the fabric.

5. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, a movable looper to coact with the needle, a movable cutter to sever the loop upon the looper, a movable gripper to grip the yarn against the looper, said looper and cutter and gripper being removable as a unit, and means to actuate the looper and cutter and gripper in timed order.

6. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, work feed mechanism to coact with the needle, a removable support, a looper and a cutter and a gripper and a loop shifting finger arranged in cooperative relation to each other and all carriedby the removable support so that these elements are removable as a unit, and means to actuate the looper and cutter and gripper and finger.

7. In a tufting machine, a needle, means-to reciprocate the needle, work feed means to coact with the needle, a movable looper, means to move the looper so that it enters the loop formed by the needle when the needle passes through the fabric and the loop is accordingly transferred to the looper, means to engage the loop after it is transferred to the looper and shift the same upon the looper from the needle, and means to cut the loop upon the looper.

8. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, work feed means to coact with the needle, a movable looper, means to move the looper so that it enters the loop formed by the needle when the needle passes through the fabric and the loop is accordingly transferred to the means to move the looper so that its free end enters the loop formed by the needle when the needle passes through the fabric and the loop is accordingly transferred to the looper, a gripper arranged upon that side of the looper next to the needle to grip one side of the loop to the looper, a cutter pivotally mounted upon the opposite side of the looper to cut the other side of the loop, and means to engage such other side of the loopafter the loop is transferred to the looper and to shift the same upon the looper into the space between the looper and cutter.

10. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, a. reciprocatory gripper, means to positively drive the gripper, a reciprocatory looper for coaction with the needle and gripper, adjustable means connecting the looper with the gripper so that the looper may be adjustably arranged with respect to the gripper, and means to actuate the gripper so that it will grip the yarn to the looper during the travel of the looper.

11. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, a reciprocatory looper to coact with the needle, a gripper arranged upon one side of the looper and traveling with the looper during its reciprocation, said gripper including angularly adjustable parts, means to actuate the gripper to cause the same to grip the yarn to one side of the looper, and means to sever the loop upon the looper.

12. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, a reciprocatory looper to coact with the needle, a reciprocatory gripper to coact with the looper, said gripper including an arm and a resilient gripper element having a coiled portion attached to the arm, means to shift the resilient gripper element with relation to the looper to grip the yarn upon the looper, and means to sever the loop upon the looper.

13. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to reciprocate the needle, means to cause the needle to idle, means to exert a pulling action upon the yarn to aid in withdrawing the same from the fabric and being actuated by theneedle idling causing means, means coacting with. the needle to produce loops,- and means to sever the'loops.

14. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to-carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a looper to enter the loop produced by the needle. a gripping element to press a portion of the loop against the looper, means separate from the looper to actuate the gripping element, and means to sever the loop upon the looper.

15. In atufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop,a movable looper to enter the loop, a gripper separately mounted from the looper, means to move the gripper so that it presses a portion of the loop against the looper, and means to sever the loop upon the looper.

16. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a movable looper to enter the loop, a.

gripper to press a portion of the loop against one side of the looper, and a movable cutter operating upon the opposite side of the looper to sever the loop,

17. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, work feed means to cooperate with the needle, a reciprocatory looper adapted to enter the loop produced by the needle and facing in an opposite direction to the feeding movement of the work, a gripper to reciprocate with the looper, means to actuate the gripper so that it presses a portion of the loop against the looper, and means coacting with the looper to sever the loop.

18. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, work feed means to cooperate with the needle, a reciprocatory looper to engage with the loop produced by the needle, a reciprocatory gripper arranged near the looper, means to cause the looper and gripper to move together in one direction, separate means to actuate the gripper so that it presses a portion of the loop against the looper, and means to cut the loop.

19. In a tufting machine, a needle, means to operate the needle to cause the same to pass through the fabric and produce a loop, work feed means for coaction with the needle, 9. looper, means to actuate the looper so that it engages the loop formed by the needle, a gripper, and

means to actuate the gripper so that it presses a part of the loop against the looper.

20. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric, a looper to receive thereon the loop produced by the needle, gripping means arranged with respect to the looper to provide a space for receiving a part of the loop and movable toward the looper for clamping said part between the gripping means and the looper and movable from the looper to release such part, means to sever the loop upon the looper, and work feed means for coaction with the needle.

21. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a looper to receive thereon the loop produced by the needle, a gripper arranged with respect to the looper to provide a space for receiving a part of the loop, the looper and gripper serving as opposed jaws of a clamp for holding engagement with such part, means to sever the loop upon. the looper, and work feed means to coact with the needle.

22. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to pass the yarn through the fabric, a looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, gripping. means arranged with respect to the looper to provide a space between them for receiving a part of the loop, means for operating the gripping means so that it presses said part in said space against the looper for holding such part and to also operate the gripping mean's'for releasing such part, and work feed means for coaction with the needle. v

23. In a tufting I machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a reciprocatory looper movable toward the needle to enter the loop, a reciprocatory gripper arranged with respect to the looper to provide a space between them for receiving a part of the loop, means to reciprocate the looper and gripper in directions which are generally parallel, means to move the gripper toward the looper when the looper is traveling from the needle to cause the gripper to press the part of the loop in the space against the looper, means to sever the loop upon the looper, and work feed means coacting with the needle. v

24. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle to carry the yarn through the fabric to produce a loop, a looper to enter the loop, a gripper arranged near the looper, means to reciprocate the looper and gripper in generally parallel planes, means to operate the gripper so that it is spaced from the looper to provide a space for a part of the loop when the looper enters the loop and is subsequently moved in a direction transversely of the reciprocatory movement of the looper to cause the gripper to clamp the part of the loop in said space against the looper, means to sever the loop upon the looper, and work feed means coacting with the needle.

25. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a movable looper to enter the loop, gripping means to press a portion of the loop against the looper while the looper is moving and thereby grip such portion between the gripping means and the looper, and work feed means coacting with the needle. g

26. In a tufting machine, a movable needle to carry the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, a looper to enter the loop produced by the needle, a gripper arranged near the looper and spaced from the looper when the looper enters the loop to provide a space for a part of the loop, means to cause the looper and gripper to reciprocate together, means to move the gripper toward the looper to press the part of the loop in said space between the gripper and looper against the looper, and work feed means coacting with the' needle.

27. In a tufting machine, a reciprocatory needle .to pass the yarn through the fabric and produce a loop, means to operate the needle, work feed means, a looper, a loop gripper, means to move the looper toward the needle when the needle is in the lowered position to cause the looper to enter the loop and to move the looper from the needle when the needle rises, means timed in operation with respect to the movement of the looper to cause the gripper to grip the loop when the looper moves from the needle, a cutter, and means timed in operation with respect to the movement of the looper to move the cutter with relation to the looper to sever the loop upon the looper when the looper moves from the needle.

ROY H. WINDHAM. MURL A. WHITE. 

